A journey into the past

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The Royal Arsenal was 3.5 miles long, 1 mile wide covering 1,300 acres employing 100,000 people at it's peak.

A Secret City, Within a City

147 miles of railway line in 2 square miles, the most complex and densest railway network in British history.

Here up to 100,000 workers were employed at one time on every manufacture developing and producing processes known to man.

The Walled Secret City

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1948 - Royal Arsenal West - The Secret City

By the outbreak of WWI the Royal Arsenal had reached 79,500 civilians within the walled City, adding the military staff to that 82,000. A further 20,000 were involved in Arsenal work in the surrounding towns. Charlton, Woolwich, Plumstead, Abbey Wood etc.

​A ​grand total of buildings huts sheds etc. listed amounts to over 1100 spread over a total 1300 acres of the totally enclosed secret walled City which was the Royal Arsenal which covers the land of Woolwich and land of Thamesmead as known today. ​​The Arsenal was fundamental to a war whose battlefields were dominated by artillery. To keep up with demand the workers would be working from 7am to 7pm 13 days out of 14 with just the one day off.

​The story of the Arsenal is the story of the growth of the largest military industrial complex in Europe. The story necessarily includes the Dockyard and Ropeyard.

It is not a celebration of warfare, or of the tools of warfare, but one cannot tell the story of a factory by omitting the development of the product.

The Arsenal was never just its buildings. The Arsenal was a tradition of craft and knowledge that passed unbroken from the laying of the first keel to the stamping of the final cartridge. Traditions that spanned some four hundred and fifty years.

The Arsenal shaped the development of Woolwich, Plumstead, Charlton and Eltham. Of national note, and whether good or bad, the Arsenal was also of pivotal importance and at the very heart of the development of the British Empire.​We are telling a story of endeavour, ingenuity, innovation and human industry through the experiences of the ordinary women and men, the military, the craft-masters and the innovators, who together made Woolwich known across the globe.

Why was the Royal Arsenal called 'The Walled Secret City'

Part of the "Secret City" now known as Thamesmead

The Royal Arsenal was secret yet fully self-contained and completely self-sufficient, self-supporting so long as raw materials were brought in. The 300+ who lived there could live off their own allotments, chicken runs and piggeries.

Another important matter was food. Dozens of Dining Rooms, some of them miles away from the gates and also the main Butchers Shop near the Hole in the Wall gate. Almost certainly the largest industrial catering operation in British history. 1,500 tons of coal was burnt on average per week. On average it was one ship a week.

The Heart of the British Empire

The Royal Arsenal is a real blast from the past. Ever since Henry VIII built the Royal dockyards there, it has been associated with the boom of cannon, the crack of rifles, the whiff of gunpowder.Guns captured by Sir Francis Drake were stored at Woolwich from 1586 and the production of arms started there 110 years later. The Royal Arsenal provided ordnance to the Army and Navy through the Peninsular and Napoleonic wars and armed Wellington's men for their victories. During the Crimean War. The Royal Arsenal boasted the largest machine shop under one roof and production was further extended 45 years later to cope with the Boer War. Expansion had to keep pace with the growing might of the British Empire.For 200 years the Arsenal's deadly business was hidden from public view by a great stone wall two-and-a-half miles long and up to 20ft high, which was built after the authorities realised there was a risk of espionage. ​After the Royal Ordnance Factory closed in 1967 and the Arsenal stood spent and forlorn, it was shrouded in secrecy.

The Royal Arsenal produced all weapons for Army and Navy. For the most part of 19th and 20th Century, there was little doubt that the most powerful colonial empire of all was the British Empire. British had started their colonial conquest in late 16th century and continued it well into the 20th century. By the year 1922, Britain had colonies on every continent of the world. Britain had dominion over 458 million people which at that time was the one fifth of the global population at that time. Total area under the rule of British was 33,700,000 square kms, approximately a quarter of earths total land area. Such was the prowess of the British empire that it was said that sun never sets in British empire, when one part of the British empire was engulfed in darkness of the night, it would be day in some other British colony.

This Royal Arsenal History Website

The aim of this website is to introduce the reader to what was the most important manufactory in British History and almost certainly the most important in World history and to research and document as much information as possible and to unearth its secrets. For nearly 500 years the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich in South East London defended the interests of England and then the United Kingdom. The expertise and output of this factory allowed the UK to build an Empire containing a quarter of the planet's population and saw both Nation and Empire through two World Wars. Much of the History was secret so it is important to capture as much information I can on this website.

Please feel free to upload your family history, records, photo's and stories via upload button below, information can be provided via blogs section and email so that Royal Arsenal history is captured and published on this website if requested and the RAH Facebook group.​

Royal Arsenal 3D model to capture history.

2D 1930s map (Copyright Ian Bull) this map is 3D liftable

A worthwhile project

One of my goals is to generate entire Arsenal site modelled in 3D from all the information gathered in a Virtual Reality environment, walk or fly throughs scenarios or main stream computer games.

This is potentially a great project to create and I hope to reach out to Architectural or Civil Engineering students who would help with this.

Phase 1​There is a fair amount of 3D land data (Lidar) available from the 'Ordnance Survey' that can be downloaded and used to create a land or ground model or a historical DTM (digital terrain model) could be created based on OS and site levels taken from old drawings.

Phase 2Define a date or a merged map of 1918 - 1958 and import rail, roads, building shapes, waterways

Phase 3The details of shape heights and textures can be the pulled from various collections of photos mapped out across the site.

​​The Royal Arsenal celebrated its quincentenary in July 2018. Beginning modestly as the Woolwich Royal Naval Dockyard's unstaffed Gunwharf it became the World's largest manufactory. Its legacy is the survival of this Nation and the establishment of the British Empire. Its part in the defence of the United Kingdom through all its Wars until the end of the First World War and later cannot be understated. Simply, without the Royal Arsenal we wouldn't be here today.

Contraction began in 1918, land disposals in 1952 and extinguishment came in 1994 yet its innovation and role were vital until the very last moment. Throughout its long drawn-out demise the Royal Arsenal's Whitehall masters paid scant regard to the remarkable heritage within its two square miles. Merely 21 of its 1,100 buildings would be designated for post-military survival and its archive would have been lost entirely without the efforts of concerned employees.

The losses continue and public awareness of the utter vitality of the Arsenal is rapidly evaporating. Only in 2016 the last large factory building was swept-away without a murmur. The bodies that might be expected to campaign for retention of historic structures and conservation of historic records appear to be concerned only in 'footfall' and 'retail opportunity'.

The Royal Arsenal Introduction

​The Royal Arsenal began in July 1518 when a small plot by the Thames in Woolwich was purchased for the equipping with Ordnance of newly constructed warships. This 'Gunwharf' was outgrown by 1670 and the Crown obtained the almost adjacent estate known as Tower Place or the Woolwich Warren who's land was already being rented-out for the 'proofing' of artillery

Tower Place

The Royal Military Academy

By 1696 specialised buildings had been constructed on the new site for the blending and testing of Gunpowder and the finishing of cannon balls. By 1700 this new 'Woolwich Arsenal' was the most important armaments facility in England. The manufacture of guns commenced in 1720 and began an engineering odyssey. Granted the title 'Royal Arsenal' in 1805 the establishment's growth mirrored that of the British Empire until by the early 20th Century it was over three miles long and covered two square miles. The site doubled in size between 1892 and 1907 alone yet the ever increasing range of guns had already rendered Woolwich inadequate and the Arsenal had spawned the extensive firing ranges at Shoeburyness in 1845.

The area had great military and naval importance. In 1515 Henry VIII (r.1509 – 1547) ordered the building of the warship Henri Grace à Dieu as part of an effort to improve and enlarge the English Navy and to this end established a major dockyard at Woolwich, very close to the area now occupied by Thamesmead. It was from this point onwards that the area became an important naval and military centre. The Thamesmead site, mostly on the Greenwich side of the boundary, was used for storing ordnance or ammunition from as early as 1565 and gradually more and more land was given over to what became the Royal Arsenal. This institution made and tested guns and ammunition.

The land was ideal for this purpose, as there were still very few people living in the area. In addition the marshy ground deadened the impact of explosions and therefore was safer when testing ammunition. One of the weapons tested on the marshes near Plumstead was called Mallet’s Mortar. It was meant to be portable but ended up weighing 42 tons! Mallet’s Mortar was not a successful invention – on its first test firing in October 1857 a fracture appeared in the metal and the project was abandoned.

The Royal Arsenal brought much-needed trade to the area as people employed in the munitions factories came to live in the nearby towns and villages. The area became more and more important militarily throughout the 18th and 19th centuries – England was at war with many countries, including France and Spain. The Crimean War of 1854 – 56 placed big demands on the Arsenal.

The First World War saw the zenith with some 80,000 employed within the walls, a further 20,000 in the surrounding neighbourhood and the creation of dozens of subsidiary ammunition plants staffed by hundreds of thousands across Great Britain. Whilst the Great War was the zenith it also marked the beginning of the end. The Arsenal was far enough up-river to be immune from Naval bombardment but from 1915 such immunity vanished with the onset of bombardment from the air. The Arsenal was well within the range of German aircraft and its river-side location made for an easily identifiable target.

Partly because of isolated Zeppelin raids on the Arsenal during the First World War, officials became worried about the manufacture and testing of guns and ammunition so close to densely populated areas. The Arsenal was now surrounded by residential developments as London expanded further and further outwards. Therefore from the 1920s onwards the site was scaled down. Both the testing and manufacture of weapons were moved to more remote and secret areas.

The Second World War merely confirmed the need to move the Arsenal elsewhere. Its location was well known and it was easily visible, with the result that the Luftwaffe could target it for bombing raids – and this meant that surrounding residential areas were also badly damaged.

Closure was discussed at the end of the First World War and firm proposals were drawn-up for a move to sites either side of the Severn Estuary in 1936. A workforce resistant to re-location and the prospect of another war with Germany saw Woolwich survive.

The Arsenal was heavily re-equipped in the Second World War and its functions complimented by dozens of new Royal Ordnance Factories spread across the Country. All were numbered, the Royal Arsenal being ROF No. 1. The post-war years brought Woolwich an Indian summer bolstered somewhat by the Korean War. The late 1940s saw the Arsenal design and manufacture the UK's first Atomic Bomb and whilst the heaviest Naval guns became obsolete in the early 1950s their production was replaced with the construction of hundreds of Tanks. Considerable quantities of ammunition continued to be handled and the design and manufacture of Artillery remained largely in Arsenal hands, yet the writing remained on the wall.

Land disposals began in 1952 and a large sale occurred in 1955. The London County Council were handed the Eastern 60% of the site in 1962 for housing development following the cessation of ammunition production. Closure was recommended in a Government report of 1962 and manufacturing ceased in 1967. The Royal Ordnance Factories and private industry were able to accept the workload but the town of Woolwich found it very difficult to absorb the 6,700 redundancies. Further disposals took place in the late 1960s leaving the Arsenal divided into to separate sections, East and West. Royal Arsenal West concentrated on the testing of military equipment whilst Royal Arsenal East specialised in Research and Development. Notable anti-terrorist work was carried-out in the Eastern section.

Both Royal Arsenal West and East closed in 1994 with much of the Eastern section's work transferred to the Arsenal's out-station at Fort Halstead near Sevenoaks.

Royal Laboratory 1696

The complex was renamed the Royal Arsenal in 1805, following a suggestion by King George III

The walled City

Plumstead Road

Arsenal wall opposite the public indoor market.

Wall meets metal electric fence, this site was also Woolwich Arsenal Manor Ground football pitch previously.

Walled - electric fence

Electric fence on the Thames side

Royal Arsenal Gates​

Royal Arsenal Main Gate 1 - Beresford Square

Development of the Arsenal gate in Beresford Square, from 1829 thought the various alterations up to the widening of the two pedestrian gates in 1935, the Gatehouse is still here today. Included below is a picture from 1825 of the previous gate.The new, wider, gate was placed to the West of the original and formed part of the straightening of the Arsenal wall with a drawing, by the same artist, of half of the new gate. His notes show that the other half is a mirror image to complete the picture of the new 1829 gate.

1825 Gate

​The original Main Gate to the Arsenal was sited adjacent to the Main Guard House, but in 1829 on the order of Lord Beresford a new gate was erected; this gate is the lower part of the present edifice.

1829 Gate

1844

1865

1885

The walled City along Plumstead Road

The superstructure over the gateway was added in 1891 - Look at the bent post in 1885 drawing

​The Bell Tower was added in 1859 and the superstructure over the gateway in 1891. The single side gates were converted to double gates in 1935. The inscription recording the building of the gateway can be seen on the stairway at the West side of the gate.

1911 Gate (Drawing)

The left and right pedestrian gates were widened in 1935 as per this drawing.

​​The bronze models of mortars bear the monogram of George IV.​

Gate 2 Middlegate house

Gate 3 Plumstead Road (Marsh Gate)

Gate 3 - Open to public to see the Queen on the Thames

Gate 4 - Plumstead Bridge Gate 4 (Hole in the Wall)

Gate 4

Photo taken in the 1990's

Church Manor way (Gate 5)

- Please send in photo if you have one

Plumstead marshes (Thamesmead) Harrow Manor Way (Gate 6)

Today this is the known as the "A" Bridge area / Elevated round about / Carlyle Road. Harrow Manor Way path will still take you to the River Thames.

1964 - 1968

1953 Flood

Car Ramp (This is where the Link is today)

Royal Arsenal Historical Notice Board

Inside the Royal Arsenal - ex.Greenwich heritage centre museum

This exhibition tells the fascinating story of the Royal Arsenal and the Royal Woolwich Dockyard by looking across 400 years of history from Henry VIII to modern times. The exhibition is hands-on allowing the visitor to see and hear aspects of the Arsenals history and to look at objects relating to the site and its activities. (exhibition no longer displayed)

​Royal Woolwich Arsenal has been in production since 1670, producing all the weapons needed for Army and Navy from King Henry VIII times.The English were the most aggressive war like people in the history of time and built up the biggest empire ever and the biggest empire that ever will be. More here

The early origins of the Royal Arsenal lie with the creation of a dockyard in Woolwich by Henry VIII. The yard, located just to the east of the present ferry terminal was originally built for the construction of 'The Great Harry'. Land further east of the yard, known as 'The Warren' was used for testing guns and a gun wharf constructed in 1546.

When you consider the early history of the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich the armaments production started on site at the Woolwich Warren in about 1696. This involved the manufacture of Fireworks and Explosive Ammunition. There was already on site a proof butt, used at contractor's own expense to proof guns/barrels for supply to the navy etc. Progressively the Warren site developed to include Gun and Carriage production and by 1805 the King decided that overall activity warranted a name change to the Royal Arsenal. Not only a place of manufacture but also a national arms store.

In the later decades of the nineteenth century the Royal Arsenal was among the world’s largest depots for army stores, and an arms factory without parallel. It deployed the heaviest and most sophisticated machine tools invented, to devastating effect on many distant parts of the world

The Arsenal shaped the development of Woolwich, Plumstead, Charlton and Eltham. Of national note, and whether good or bad, the Arsenal was also of pivotal importance and at the very heart of the development of the British Empire.

The story of the Arsenal is the story of the growth of the largest military-industrial complex in Europe. This website reflects a very small fraction of the history of the Royal Arsenal.

Below: German bombers over Thamesmead photographed by the Luftwaffe showing Dorniers over Erith Marshes/Royal Arsenal dates from 1940, September 7th 1940 was the day that the London blitz started with Woolwich, the Docks, Silvertown, etc all being heavily bombed. The Dornier Do 17, sometimes referred to as the Fliegender Bleistift or 'flying pencil', was a WW2 bomber intended to be light enough to outrun defending fighter aircraft. More information here

German bombers over the Royal Arsenal (Thamesmead)

On September 7th 1940, 348 German bombers escorted by 617 fighters attacked the capital in the late afternoon, forming a 32-km (20-mile)-wide block of aircraft filling more than 2000 square kilometres (800 square miles) of sky.

The attack took the British by surprise. The Germans concentrated their attack on London’s Docklands and met little resistance that day causing huge destruction to London’s east end.

After this London was bombed at night almost every night until May 10th 1941. The East End took the worst of it, due to the industrial targets along the docks and river Lea.

Bombs Dropped and recorded before 1973

BBC London live - Woolwich Arsenal History

Below: Listen to BBC London live broadcast about Woolwich Arsenal History

Woolwich Royal Arsenal during WWI

Ian Bull presents the Royal Arsenal "Then and Now"

Presentation on the Royal Arsenal East to West, buildings then and now and the original plans for Thamesmead and much more.​Then and now (Version 2)

By the mid 1980's it was becoming clear to the Arsenal's staff that closure was looming and that the Ministry of Defence had little intention of preserving anything from the site which had defended the Nation for four and a half Centuries. Concerned employees formed the Royal Arsenal Woolwich Historical Society (RAWHS) and set about ensuring the preservation of some two shipping container loads of artefacts and records. Also known as the Royal Arsenal Association up until 2017.

Royal Arsenal East - A page for the secret history of Thamesmead

Locomotive and powder wagon on route to Magazine. (Thamesmead East near Crossness) Photo generation by Ian Bull

Click on the button below to go to the Thamesmead related Royal Arsenal page.

To all readers: Please feel free to report any information listed on this website that is not correct and I will be happy to review and amend. Contact here with your suggestions

Copyright to respectful owners unless otherwise stated, all content and overlays have been compiled by Steven Peterson, admin and founder of www.royal-arsenal-history.com Information sourced from various public resources and people. Please contact and request authorisation if you wish to use material elsewhere.